SCUDIERY CALLS OUT JORDAN ON REPUBLICAN-SLANTED ARTICLE
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Publication
January 26, 2007
POC: Victor V. Scudiery
Chairman, Monmouth County Democratic Party
Tel: (732) 739-3232
SCUDIERY CALLS OUT JORDAN ON REPUBLICAN-SLANTED ARTICLE
Questions Puharic on GOP credibility on criticisms of party funding
HAZLET TOWNSHIP (MONMOUTH COUNTY, NJ): In a January 24 article written by Asbury Park Press Staff Writer Bob Jordan, the reporter wrote an advocated piece that appeared on Page A8 entitled :Treasurer: Monmouth County Dems owe chairman $150G."
In response to allegations made in the article by Jordan, Monmouth County Democratic Chairman Victor Scudiery said, "Bob Jordan is saying that I am owed $150,900. He is saying I forgave $4,000. He is saying in one paragraph in his story that "...The amount owed to Scudiery -- whose benefit from political clout was called into question when the state Motor Commission began renting space for more than $100,000 a year in a Hazlet shopping plaza he owns – has accumulated over a number of years."
In fact, Scudiery said he did lend the party over $200,000 when he took office 18 years ago as the Monmouth County Democratic chairman. "This was a promise that I made when I sought office as the county leader. I have been personally forgiving the debt and that is something that is not negative. It is not even something that is unusual in politics," Scudiery said.
Scudiery cited a written report by The Courier, a weekly Monmouth County newspaper, which stated that under former Monmouth County Republican Chairman Fred Niemann, Republicans received $200,000 in contributions and in-kind contributions from the state Republican Party, largely when it was under the leadership of Sen. Joe Kyrillos (a Monmouth County Republican).
"No one has accused Sen. Kyrillos of doing anything wrong. But, in that case, it was political contributions and not personal funds. In my case, I used my own money to back a party I believe in. I am not beholden to anyone and, as anyone in my party can tell you, I don't make anyone beholden to me," Scudiery said.
Where it involves the state Motor Vehicle Agency, Scudiery said, "Bob Jordan is trying to give the impression there was some misconduct involved. In fact, he is throwing around the fact that Rebecca Aaronson is a Democratic leader and she is a MVC manager as having something to do with this deal and there is no relationship involving Mrs. Aaronsson and this deal. The Asbury Park Press has yet to quote pricing for the space correctly, or the floor space involved, and when it comes to the bidding process, which has already been examined by governmental oversight. There was no politics involved in the move to Airport Plaza by the MVC. This deal only benefited the state of New Jersey and its taxpayers."
Scudiery said that, among other errors in stories by Jordan, the Asbury Park Press identified two towns, Matawan and Hazlet, as being represented by the 12th Legislative District. Those towns are actually represented in another legislative district. "I do not see a lot of attention to detail," Scudiery said.
Scudiery said that Bob Jordan should closely examine where he stands on this subject as a reporter, since it has been reported to Scudiery that there are family relations that Jordan has who are both political and adversarial to Scudiery. "Mr. Jordan is related to an ex-municipal chairman and county committeeperson by marriage and that person is someone whose actions I have not approved of now or in the past," Scudiery said. "I have been very vocal in my disapproval of this family member of Mr. Jordan's."
"If I was a reporter who had a relative with a problem involving a political leader, I would not write about that leader since it would be a conflict of interest involving family, in my opinion," Scudiery said. "News reporters need to have a certain distance and objectivity with what they are writing. When family is involved, how does that objectivity exist?"
Scudiery questioned Jordan's motivations and methods involved with this story, as well as the Asbury Park Press's oversight of Jordan and his work.
###
For Immediate Publication
January 26, 2007
POC: Victor V. Scudiery
Chairman, Monmouth County Democratic Party
Tel: (732) 739-3232
SCUDIERY CALLS OUT JORDAN ON REPUBLICAN-SLANTED ARTICLE
Questions Puharic on GOP credibility on criticisms of party funding
HAZLET TOWNSHIP (MONMOUTH COUNTY, NJ): In a January 24 article written by Asbury Park Press Staff Writer Bob Jordan, the reporter wrote an advocated piece that appeared on Page A8 entitled :Treasurer: Monmouth County Dems owe chairman $150G."
In response to allegations made in the article by Jordan, Monmouth County Democratic Chairman Victor Scudiery said, "Bob Jordan is saying that I am owed $150,900. He is saying I forgave $4,000. He is saying in one paragraph in his story that "...The amount owed to Scudiery -- whose benefit from political clout was called into question when the state Motor Commission began renting space for more than $100,000 a year in a Hazlet shopping plaza he owns – has accumulated over a number of years."
In fact, Scudiery said he did lend the party over $200,000 when he took office 18 years ago as the Monmouth County Democratic chairman. "This was a promise that I made when I sought office as the county leader. I have been personally forgiving the debt and that is something that is not negative. It is not even something that is unusual in politics," Scudiery said.
Scudiery cited a written report by The Courier, a weekly Monmouth County newspaper, which stated that under former Monmouth County Republican Chairman Fred Niemann, Republicans received $200,000 in contributions and in-kind contributions from the state Republican Party, largely when it was under the leadership of Sen. Joe Kyrillos (a Monmouth County Republican).
"No one has accused Sen. Kyrillos of doing anything wrong. But, in that case, it was political contributions and not personal funds. In my case, I used my own money to back a party I believe in. I am not beholden to anyone and, as anyone in my party can tell you, I don't make anyone beholden to me," Scudiery said.
Where it involves the state Motor Vehicle Agency, Scudiery said, "Bob Jordan is trying to give the impression there was some misconduct involved. In fact, he is throwing around the fact that Rebecca Aaronson is a Democratic leader and she is a MVC manager as having something to do with this deal and there is no relationship involving Mrs. Aaronsson and this deal. The Asbury Park Press has yet to quote pricing for the space correctly, or the floor space involved, and when it comes to the bidding process, which has already been examined by governmental oversight. There was no politics involved in the move to Airport Plaza by the MVC. This deal only benefited the state of New Jersey and its taxpayers."
Scudiery said that, among other errors in stories by Jordan, the Asbury Park Press identified two towns, Matawan and Hazlet, as being represented by the 12th Legislative District. Those towns are actually represented in another legislative district. "I do not see a lot of attention to detail," Scudiery said.
Scudiery said that Bob Jordan should closely examine where he stands on this subject as a reporter, since it has been reported to Scudiery that there are family relations that Jordan has who are both political and adversarial to Scudiery. "Mr. Jordan is related to an ex-municipal chairman and county committeeperson by marriage and that person is someone whose actions I have not approved of now or in the past," Scudiery said. "I have been very vocal in my disapproval of this family member of Mr. Jordan's."
"If I was a reporter who had a relative with a problem involving a political leader, I would not write about that leader since it would be a conflict of interest involving family, in my opinion," Scudiery said. "News reporters need to have a certain distance and objectivity with what they are writing. When family is involved, how does that objectivity exist?"
Scudiery questioned Jordan's motivations and methods involved with this story, as well as the Asbury Park Press's oversight of Jordan and his work.
###
posted by Joe Caliendo @ 4:32 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home